Applicator for upsilon-belt fasteners



APPLIGATOR FR V-BELT FASTNERS Filed oct. 5, 1944 22 EL, u /JJ /l /15 Z4 in nnentor HUGH L CoATs Patented May 21, 1946 UNITED STATES [PATENT `OFFICE'. y

APPLICATOR FOR V-BELT FASTENERS Hugh L. Coats, Wheaton, Ill., assignor to Flexible Steel Lacing Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Y 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in belt fastener applicators and, more specifically, to applicators for the attaching members of V belt fasteners.

In iiexible or hinged types of fasteners for V belts, it is generally customary to employ two U- shaped attaching members, one attached to each end of the belt, said members having interdigitated loops at their extended ends and within which loops is disposed the hinge pin or pintle. The two parallel arms of each U-shaped member are secured to the belt end, one arm on the outer or wide face of the` belt. The other arm, in the particular type of fastener with which the present invention is primarily concerned, is inserted within the body of the belt and then screws or other retainer elements inserted through the two arms and intervening belt material to hold the attaching member in place against the pulling strains.

Heretoiore, considerable difculty has been encountered in properly applying the attaching members of the type described due to the necessity of embedding one of the arms within the belt material and one object of this invention is to provide a simple, preferably manually operable device, for applying such type of attaching members to V belt ends in proper alinement and to the exact depth in the belt material and, at the same time, locate the holes in they arms in the right position to receive the securing screws or elements, the latter being guided by the applicator device,

Application October 5, 1944, Serial No. 557,329

Another object of the invention is to provide a device oi' the character indicated such that, where the two attaching members are complemental but different, both may be properly applied by the one device.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In said drawing, Figure 1 is a top plan of an applicator embodying one form of the invention, the applicator being in the full open position with the two belt ends in position and the two dissimilar but complemental attaching members in position to be pushed into the respective belt ends. Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section correspending to the section line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section corre sponding to the line 3 3 oi Figure l. And Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3 but showing the attaching member pushed home in the belt end and one of the securing screws in place.

In said drawing, I0 and I I denote the two ends of a V belt to which are to be applied the two complemental attaching members l2 and I3 respectively, it being noted that member i2 has two loops I4 whereas member I3 has three loops I4. Each of the attaching members are otherwise the same, being of U-shape with parallel arms I5 and I 6 as best shown in Figure 3, the ends of the arms being beveled or sharpened as indicated at Il.

The applicator proper, as shown, preferably comprises, broadly7 a main base or block A; a clamping or holding plate B; a slide or' pusher block C; and a'power applier D.

The main base' A of metal is of Y generally rectangular shape with two parallel, laterally spaced beds or tables i8 and I9 on which the' belt ends Ii) and l i are adapted to be placed and their ends gauged or stopped by gauge pins 2li and ZI. Along each side of a portion of their length at the left hand end, as viewed in Figure 1, the base is provided with opstanding retaining and guiding anges 22-22 for the clamping plate B, and, for the balance oi' the base A with shallower flanges I22-I22 that serve as guides for the pusher block C. Y

The clamping plate B is provided on its under face with inverted V shaped grooves or recesses 23-23 of such size and shape as to properly t the belt ends to which the fasteners are to be attached. Said plate B is clamped tight on the belt ends by any suitable means such as the wing nut 24 cooperable with a threaded stud 25 secured to the base A and extending vertically through an opening in the plate B as shown. On its underside at the right hand end as viewed in Figure l, the plate B is partially cut away or relieved at 2S for a distance corresponding `approximately to the length of the finally embedded arm of the attaching members to allow for the swelling of the belt material that necessarily occurs when the arm is inserted and the screws also applied.

The pusher block C reciprocates toward and from the clamping plate B, being guided by the lianges I22- I22. On its leading face, the block C is suitably notched, as indicated at II2 and i i3 to receive and center the loops of the respective attaching members I2 and i3. The block C may be actuated either directly by hand or by any suitable power applying means, preferably a screw D threaded in a nut section 27 formed integral with the base A, said screwvhaving a suitable hand wheel 28 at its outer end and having swiveled connection with the pusher block C aS indicated at 29. To guide the attaching members while beingY moved toward and intothe belt ends by the pusher block C, the base A is provided with recessed guides or grooves 30-30 of a depth corresponding to the thicknessof the attaching arm, as shown. Y The operation of the device so far described is as follows. and gauged by the stop pins 2B-'2I, after which the clamp plate Bis tightened down by the wing nut` 24.

loops in the respective notches I I2 and I I 3 whereupon, the pusher block C is actuated to push the upper arms of the attaching members into the body of the belt. In this connection, it is to be observed that the limit of movement of the pusher block C to the left is determined by engagement with the belt ends, the block C being recessed yas indicated at 3l-3I to clear the stop or gauge pins 2li-2l. By this arrangement, assurance is made that the loops of the attaching members will be left in exactly the rightoposition with respect to the belt ends as best shown in Figure 4. Also, it is insured that the yholes 32-32 of the attaching members will be brought directly in line with the corresponding screw guide holes 33-33 in the base A. When the attaching members have been properly embedded in the belt ends, the whole device is then preferably turned upside down so that the securing screws 34 may be dropped into Athe holes 33 and guided thereby as they are screwed home, as will'be understood.

The embodiment of the invention shown provides for the simultaneous application of two differing attaching members but it is obvious that if the two attaching'members of a set are alike, thepusher block C could be modified accordingly to apply :both simultaneously or simply to apply one 'at a time. Although therehas herein been shown and described what is now considered the preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is merely illustrative and all changes andmodications are' contemplated that comeY within the scope of the appended vclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. An applicator for U-shaped attaching memf bers of a V-belt fastener, comprising: a base member; means for clamping a V-belt end to said member; a pusher block; means for slidably guiding said block tomove toward the belt end in a direction parallel to the length Iof the belt; and means on said member and block for `holding and guiding `an attaching-member while the latter is being pushed toward and into the belt end.

2. An applicatorV for U-shaped attaching members of a V belt fastener, comprising: a base member having a supporting face for aV belt end; means for gauging the end Vposition of the belt end; means, ccoperable with the basemember, forvclamping thebelt end in gauged position; a pusher block; means for slidably guiding .said block on said base member to move toward and from the gauged end ,of the belt in a direction parallel Vto the length of the' belt, said block being recessed te receive the loop end of a U-shaped attaching member whereby, upon actuation of said block toward the clamped lbelt end, theat- The belt ends are first put in placey .The two attaching members l2 and I3 are put in place 4vin the guide grooves3|l and the 4. An applicator for a U-shaped attaching member of a V belt fastener and which attaching member has openings in the arms thereof for reception of securing elements, said applicatorY comprising: a base member having a supporting face for a V belt end; means for gauging the end position of the belt end; means cooperable with thebase member for clampingthe belt end in gauged position; a pusher .block slidably mounted on said base member'to move toward and from-V receive and retain also in gauged position, a loop` end of the U-shaped attaching member, the pusher `blockbeing limited in its movement toward the clamped belt end by engagement with the latter, said base member having guide openings therein for said securing elements so located that said openings of the attaching member are brought into alinement with said guide openings when the attaching member hasbeen pushed l.intothe belt end to the limit determined by engagement of the pusher block with the belt end. v

5. An applicator according to claim 2 wherein power transmitting means are mounted on the base member for actuating the pusher block.

6. Anv applicator for a U-shaped attaching member of a V belt fastener of that type wherein supporting face for a V belt end and means for.

gaugingfthe end of the-belt; ra clamping plate having aV V recess on the face oppositesaid supporting face for clamping the belt end in gauged position, said plate being relieved adjacent the extreme end of the belt whereby to permit lateral swelling of the belt end due to embedding *of the attaching member; Va pusher block slidably mounted and guided on said base member to reciprocate toward and from the clamped belt end, said block being recessed on the face adjacent thebelt end for the reception and gauging of :a loop of the attaching member, said base member having a guiding groove for the nonembedded arm of the attaching member as the latter is pushed into the beltend. p

'7. An applicator according to claim 6 wherein thebase member .is provided with guide openings leading to the supporting face for securing elements for.the,.attaching member when the latter ing members of a fastener for the ends of a V belt,

said applicator comprising: a base member having supporting faces for two V belt ends arranged parallel; means for gauging the end positions of the belt ends; means, cooperable with the base member, for Vclamping thebelt ends in gauged position; a pusher block slidably mounted on said base member to move toward and from the :belt ends, said block having two recesses for receiving and retaining the loop ends of the two complemental but differing attaching members; vand means on the base memberfor guiding the attaching members to the belt ends'when the pusher block is actuated toward the belt ends. 

